Keeping it Clean
by xxDustNight88
Summary: Drabble. Hermione and Draco reminisce about their first year at Hogwarts on their way home on the Hogwarts Express.


**Author's Note:** Here's a real quick drabble I wrote for Lexi! Let me tell you, I've never written first year Hermione and Draco and it was HARD! Also, it was hard to keep it clean, so to speak. No smut! What!? I know, right? Anyway, enjoy and leave a review. Maybe I'll make this into a series of drabbles if I get enough of a response!

 **Disclaimer:** All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to us. I do not write for profit. Cover photo is a collage of picture I found on Google.

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Prompt: _1\. Use this as the title of your story: "Keeping It Clean." 2. The title isn't a pun; you can't write smut in the story: write a family friendly Dramione when they are in their first year, and are actually friends._

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 _Keeping it Clean_

Hermione sat down in the compartment and stared out the window, Hogsmeade already fading into the background. Her first year at Hogwarts had been really enlightening, to say the least. Despite a rough beginning, she'd managed to make a bunch of new friends to go home and tell her parents about. She knew they were worried about that, about her making friends. She even had magical moving photographs to show them as proof! Grabbing for her favorite book, _Hogwarts a History_ , Hermione expected a quiet ride home to London. All her friends were supposedly busy elsewhere, leaving her alone for duration of the trip. She didn't mind though, they'd all promised to come by before they arrived at King's Cross. Just as she was settling in, the compartment door slid open and in sauntered her very best friend.

"Draco!" She exclaimed, shutting her book and sitting up. "I thought you were playing Exploding Snap with Blaise and Theo?"

"I was, but they kept cheating," Draco Malfoy pouted, taking a seat across from her and crossing his arms. She had to smile, Draco was most certainly a sore loser.

"I believe it."

"Yes, so after losing my allowance for the month to those two bloody pricks, I decided to leave and come find you." He smirked, his blue eyes flashing. "Unless you care to play a round."

"Draco," she began, shaking her head, "keep it clean. Besides, you know I'm utter rubbish at that game."

"Exactly." They shared a laugh and then became quiet. Draco looked off out the window, watching as the landscape whizzed by. "Hermione?"

"Yeah?" She asked, wondering why he sounded sad all of a sudden.

"Do you ever regret becoming my friend?"

"What!" Her mouth popped open dramatically as she stared at her friend. "Why would you even ask such a thing?"

Shrugging, Draco looked away from the window to meet Hermione's eyes. "It's just that, if we hadn't become friends, you would probably be sitting in a compartment with Potter and Weasley right now, eating Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and laughing."

"Oh." Biting her lip, she slumped back in her seat. Was he really worried about all that? Besides, she was still friends with Harry, and even Ron on occasion. She'd helped Harry get to the Sorcerer's stone, hadn't she? They just weren't nearly as close as she thought they would be. Actually, some days she was still surprised that she'd somehow managed to become best friends with Draco Malfoy, a Slytherin Pureblood. Especially since she was a Muggleborn in Gryffindor. Observing her friend, she moved from where she was sitting so she could join him on the other side of the compartment. "Listen, Draco. I could care less about what the others think. I am thankful for our friendship. You've made this year a lot easier to deal with."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, first of all, you saved me from that troll!"

"Yeah…I sort of did." He smirked at Hermione, causing her to roll her eyes. "If I hadn't backtracked when I did, you would've been a goner. Besides," he frowned here, "it was Weasley's fault you were alone in the girl's loo to begin with."

Hermione sighed. "It was, but he came and apologized later. It all turned out alright." Squeezing his hand, they both blushed by her gesture, looking away from one another. "I'm just glad you decided to look past my heritage, Draco."

"Me too. My father won't be happy I'm friends with a Muggleborn, but when I tell him all about how you're the smartest witch in our class and that you helped save Harry Potter and the school from the Dark Lord, he'll have to come around."

"I sure hope so." She bit her lip, unsure whether Lucius Malfoy would really be open to his son being friends with her. She'd heard many rumors about the Malfoy family this past year, and she was just glad Draco somehow managed to put his Blood status behind him once he'd rescued her from that troll.

The rest of the train ride passed with Hermione and Draco retelling stories from the year. They were having so much fun laughing and reminiscing, they lost track of time. When the train slowed, their other friends appeared, all wanting to say their goodbyes before arriving at the station. Blaise and Theo made sure to give Hermione extra-long hugs, insisting they'd write often over the break, and even Pansy told her she'd miss her. It was making her rather choke up, to be honest. When the train arrived, everyone filed off and ventured to find their families, except for Draco. He remained by her side.

"Well, I guess this is it," he muttered, brushing imaginary dust from his grey jumper. He glanced at his feet before meeting Hermione's eyes. "Time to say goodbye for the summer."

"It's only a few months…," she trailed off, suddenly feeling rather anxious. "Look, we'll write all the time—you have an owl, so we can keep in touch. Don't worry about your father, everything will be fine."

"And what if he says I'm not allowed to associate with you? That we can't be friends?"

So that's what this was all about? Draco was worried he wouldn't be allowed to be friends with her anymore once his father found out she was a Muggleborn and a Gryffindor and everything his family loathed. Shrugging, Hermione really didn't have an answer to that. Only time would tell whether or not their friendship could withstand the prejudices of the Wizarding culture. Trying to be strong and supportive, she lunged forward and wrapped him in a large hug.

"Draco," she whispered into his ear so only he could hear, "if he tells you we can't be friends and threatens you…then you and I will have to decide what's best. If that means we can't be friends, then so be it, but I want you to know that you've made this year magical for me. I couldn't have made it without you…literally. Thank you." As she released him from the embrace, she placed a simple kiss to his cheek, smiling as a blush colored his pale face. "Have a good summer! I hope to hear from you soon."

As she turned and bounced off to find her parents beyond the barrier, she looked by to see Draco waving at her. She wasn't sure what would happen over the summer, or even next year for that matter. For now though, she knew that Draco Malfoy was her best friend and she would do anything in her power to keep it that way. As she slipped through the magical barrier, back into the Muggle world, she could have sworn she heard Draco telling his father, "That's Hermione Granger. She's a Muggleborn, Gryffindor, and the smartest witch at the school, and she's _my_ best friend!" She smiled as she caught sight of her parents, somehow knowing that Draco would stick up for her and their friendship.


End file.
